AIDS caregivers struggling with assisted suicide. Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003. 800-458-5231 ext. 5023.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

AIDS caregivers struggling with assisted suicide. Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003. 800-458-5231 ext. 5023.

AIDS Alert. 1995 Jan;10(1):12-4. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/95700028

Abstract: A short case study of a man who chose suicide over continuing to live with AIDS introduces this discussion of assisted suicide. Oregon is the only state where physician-assisted suicide is legal; in most other states it is explicitly illegal or the law is unclear. Rational suicide is a commonly thought about and discussed topic among AIDS patients, and the rate of suicide in this population is more common than death certificates indicate. A Seattle-based group, Compassion in Dying, provides support and advice to dying patients who want to hasten their deaths. Before providing assistance to persons who are willing to follow its lengthy procedures, the group urges patients to explore other avenues of better pain management. The National Association of Social Workers has issued a policy supporting the presence of a social worker at an assisted suicide if requested by the client.

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*PSYCHOLOGY Caregivers/PSYCHOLOGY Human Physicians/PSYCHOLOGY Right to Die/*LEGISLATION & JURISPRUD Suicide/*LEGISLATION & JURISPRUD/PSYCHOLOGY United States NEWSLETTER ARTICLE
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